State all set to raise foodgrain storage capacity
Chandigarh, June 18
Haryana is all set to add over 37 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain storage capacity in the next two years. While almost 9 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of storage capacity will be added in the state by September this year, the remaining storage capacity is expected to be added in phases over the next two years.

Draft development plan for two towns out
Gurgaon, June 18
The Haryana Government has published the draft development plan-2031 for Pataudi and Hailey Mandi towns of Gurgaon district and invited objections and suggestions from the public within 30 days.

Girl performs last rites of father
Fatehabad, June 18
A 12-year-old girl lit the funeral pyre of her father in Fatehabad on Saturday. Dhruvnath Singh (42), a migrant labourer from Bihar, was eking out a living for his family comprising wife, a son and a daughter through manual labour in the town for the past several years.

A view of the sunset on the NDRI farms in Karnal. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Bank told to pay Rs 27,100 compensation
Ambala, June 18
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Yamunanangar, has imposed Rs 27,100 as compensation on Punjab National Bank, Jagadhri Workshop, for not properly attending to the complaint of an ATM consumer.
Devanand, a resident of Jagadhari, withdrew Rs 3,000 from an ATM. The ATM customer advice slip verified that Rs 3,000 were withdrawn, but he did not receive any money.

She dared to dream big
Sirsa, June 18
This girl from a small village dreamt big and with hard work, determination and the “Chak De” spirit, she has become a name to reckon with in Indian women’s hockey.
Savita Punia, a girl from Jodhkan village in Sirsa, has carved a niche for herself on her own in the field of hockey at the international level.

Savita Punia, who is a member of the national women hockey team as its goalkeeper.
A Tribune photograph

NIT Golden Jubilee Year from Sept 15
Kurukshetra, June 18
The Golden Jubilee Year of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) will be celebrated on its premises here from September 15, 2012, to September 14, 2013.
Stating this to mediapersons here recently, NIT director Prof Anand Mohan said a number of events, including technical, cultural, extracurricular, community services, a series of lectures by eminent
personalities.

Book on crime against kids released
Kurukshetra, June 18
On World Day Against Child Labour, Lt-Gen DDS Sandhu (retd), Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, released a book on the burning issue of “Crime Against Children”, authored by Prof Sarita
Vashistha, Chairperson of the Department of Hindi, Kurukshetra University.

108 students get awards for excellence
Fatehabad, June 18
As many as 108 students received awards for excellence in various curricular and extra-curricular fields at a prize distribution function held at Manohar Memorial College of Education here recently.

Workshop on educational journalism held
Fatehabad, June 18
“Over the years, short courses in different fields of journalism like defence journalism, agriculture journalism and sports journalism have been introduced, but educational journalism is one field that has remained neglected so far,” said Prof KK Sharma, a former pro-Vice-Chancellor of the North Eastern Hill University,
Shillong.

7 inmates shifted from illegal child care centre
Kaithal, June 18
The district administration has shifted seven children from a local child care centre, Durga Bal Anathalaya, to Braham Shakti child care centre near Tatiana in the Guhla subdivision of the district.

Four judges promoted, three shifted
Gurgaon, June 18
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued promotion and transfer orders of four Additional District and Sessions Judges and transfer orders of three District and Sessions Judges.

Clear sewer lines in Sonepat before monsoon, says MP
Sonepat, June 18
While participating as a special invitee at a meeting of the District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee held here recently, Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda directed the officers of the Public Health Department to ensure that all sewer lines in the town were cleaned before the onset of monsoon.Legislators attend a District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting organised by the DRDA in
Sonepat. Photo by writer

Man gets life term for killing wife
Rewari, June 18
Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Tewatia has sentenced Sachin, a resident of Gurgaon, to imprisonment for life, holding him guilty of killing his wife Sheetal in July, 2009. The verdict was pronounced by the court here recently.

Workers to get wages through smart cards
Sirsa, June 18
Villagers doing manual labour under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA) in Sirsa will get their wages through smart cards soon.
In fact, the authorities have already started disbursing wages through smart cards in 14 villages of the district as a pilot project.

Melons on sale along NH-I near Paraori in Karnal. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Hooda’s meeting with Chidambaram criticised
Kurukshetra, June 18
The Rajput community of Haryana, at its emergency meeting held under the chairmanship of Col Devender Singh, president, Haryana Pratinidhi
Sabha, on the premises of Jat Dharamshala here on Friday, criticised Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for leading a
deputation of Jat leaders of some states to meet the Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, recently, demanding reservation for the Jat
communty.

NIFAA to hold painting contest on AIDS
Karnal, June 18
In another major initiative to spread awareness about AIDS, National Integrated Forum of Artists and Activists
(NIFAA), a leading NGO, has decided to organise “All-India Painting Competition on AIDS Awareness”. It has invited teachers, students and professionals from fine arts schools, academies and others pursuing painting
as hobby to participate in the competition.

Labourers carry paddy saplings as they walk through a field in Umri village in
Kurukshetra. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

3 institutions get minority status
Sonepat, June 18
The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutes of the Government of India has accorded the status of minority institutions to Mahavir Swamy Institute of Technology, Bhagwan Mahavir College of Education and Bhagwan Mahavir Institute of Polytechnic being run by the Bhagwan Mahavir Education Foundation at Jagdishpur, near Sonepat.

Website hacked
Karnal, June 18
People searching the website of MDD Bal Bhavan, mddindia.org, sheltering 80 kids in Karnal were in for a shock on finding it hacked and flooded by anti-India material. The website was allegedly hacked by some Z company, which posted thereon anti-India material like killing of Bangladeshi, free Kashmir and freedom is our goal.

Pact to buy more power
Chandigarh, June 18
Haryana Power Minister Ajay Singh Yadav said the state government had signed a power purchase contract to purchase 350 MW of more power and the power problem would be resolved after July 15.

Chandigarh, June 18
Haryana is all set to add over 37 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain storage capacity in the next two years. While almost 9 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of storage capacity will be added in the state by September this year, the remaining storage capacity is expected to be added in phases over the next two years.

Having completed all due diligences in the allotment of tenders for creating godowns, under the Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) Scheme, HAFED has now completed the net allotment for 13.41 LMT of storage space. The technical evaluation of bids for creating another 15.10 LMT of storage space has been done, and the financial bids are expected to be cleared by the high-level committee of the FCI and the Government of India soon.

Official sources in HAFED, which is the nodal agency, appointed by the state government for building foodgrain storage space under the PEG Scheme, also said that they were in the process of examining the technical bids for setting up another 2.84 LMT of space, while tenders for the remaining 1.9 LMT of storage space would be floated in July.

“Under this scheme, the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation will be creating 1 LMT of storage space, while HAFED itself will be creating 3.25 LMT of storage space on its own. By the end of 2013, we hope to commission most of these additional storage spaces, thus solving the problem of foodgrain storage in the state to a large extent,” said Anil Malik, Managing Director, HAFED.

The PEG Scheme was initiated in the state almost two years ago,but because of the stringent guidelines under the scheme to free the land of all incumberances before the site is approved for creating godowns, and delays in getting CLUs (change in land use) had somewhat delayed this scheme. Under this scheme, the FCI will pay Rs 160 per quintal per month as preservation charges to any agency for storing its (FCI’s) foodgrains in the godowns constructed under the PEG Scheme. These agencies will also get some supervision charges from the FCI, for looking after the foodgrains during the storage period.

The FCI already has a covered storage capacity of 24 LMT in Haryana. Various state government agencies have an additional storage capacity of 16 LMT. Officials said that with the creation of 37.5 LMT of additional space under the PEG Scheme, the total foodgrain storage capacity in the state would double, thereby solving foodgrain storage problems (especially in open spaces) to a large extent.

Gurgaon, June 18
The Haryana Government has published the draft development plan-2031 for Pataudi and Hailey Mandi towns of Gurgaon district and invited objections and suggestions from the public within 30 days.

These can be sent to the Director, Town and Country Planning, Haryana, Sector 18, Chandigarh.

Stating this here, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner PC Meena said the plan had been prepared in view of the projected population of these twin towns and to accommodate an additional 1,50,000 persons by 2031.

Residential sectors had been proposed with a residential density of 250 persons per hectare. As per the plan, a total of 1,425 hectares would be brought under urbanisation. The area of logistic zone (934 hectares) and industrial area (66 hectares) along the KMP Expressway and 245 hectares of the existing towns had not been included in the plan.

The draft plan proposes 600 hectares for residential purposes, 127 hectares for commercial, 80 hectares for industrial, 391 hectares for transport and communication, 56 hectares for public utilities, 38 hectares for public and semi-public purposes and 133 hectares for open spaces and green belts.

To accommodate the projected population of 1,50,000 persons, 600 hectares has been proposed for the development of residential sectors — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. A strip about 120 metres wide has been proposed around the populated areas of Jamalpur and Khawaspur villages for providing amenities.

The minimum width of the roads in a residential colony or sector will not be less than 12 metres. The
minimum area for parks and open spaces in a residential sector will be planned in such a manner that it will meet the norm of 2.5 square metres
per person.

The existing Gurgaon-Pataudi and Pataudi-Hailey Mandi roads are proposed to be widened up to 45 metres with a 30-metre-wide green belt on both sides.

In addition, the Delhi-Rewari state highway, emanating from the KMP Expressway, is proposed to be widened to 75 metres with a 30-metre-wide green belt on both sides.

An area of about 39 hectares has been provided for public utilities like waterworks, grid substations and disposal works in Sector 7. About 5 hectares on the Khandewla-Jatauli road has been proposed for solid-waste disposal works. About 12 hectares has been proposed for a water-treatment plant on the Gurgaon-Pataudi road in Janaula village. A sewage-treatment plant has also been proposed on the Pataudi-Rewari road along the periphery road.

Fatehabad, June 18
A 12-year-old girl lit the funeral pyre of her father in Fatehabad on Saturday. Dhruvnath Singh (42), a migrant labourer from Bihar, was eking out a living for his family comprising wife, a son and a daughter through manual labour in the town for the past several years.

He slipped on the stairs of his house on Friday night and remained lying there unnoticed till morning. He was declared brought dead by doctors who examined him in the morning.

The 16-year-old son of the victim had left for his
native place in Bihar due to his vacations on the day of the accident.

When the distraught wife of the victim contacted her husband’s kin in Bihar for transporting the body to his native place, they suggested her to cremate the body
here in Fatehabad.

As it was not possible for the son of the victim to return home in time for cremation, his daughter Sapna (12)
came forward and said she would perform the last rites of her father.

Zindagi, a local NGO, and municipal president Virender Narang helped the family in performing the last rites of Dhruvnath.

Ambala, June 18
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Yamunanangar, has imposed Rs 27,100 as compensation on Punjab National Bank, Jagadhri Workshop, for not properly attending to the complaint of an ATM consumer.

Devanand, a resident of Jagadhari, withdrew Rs 3,000 from an ATM. The ATM customer advice slip verified that Rs 3,000 were withdrawn, but he did not receive any money.

He contacted PNB officials and made a complaint about it. But according to him, the bank officials did not give any satisfactory reply and tried to throw the burden on part of the other bank whose ATM booth was used for withdrawing the money.

The complainant said he had availed this ATM facility on the offer made by PNB. The complainant requested the respondents a number of times to release Rs 3,000, but of no use.

The PNB officials pleaded that it was not possible on part of the answering respondent to verify the authenticity of any claim unless it is received from the bank concerned, so there was no deficiency in service on part of the answering respondent.

DN Arora, president of the consumer forum, observed in the order, “It is a matter of concern that such frivolous and unjust litigation by governments and statutory authorities are on the increase. Statutory authorities exist to discharge statutory functions in public interest. They should be responsible litigants. They can neither raise frivolous and unjust
objections, nor act in a callous and high-handed manner. They cannot behave like some private litigants with profiteering motives”.

The forum further observed in the order, “It is mandatory for the banks to reimburse the amount wrongfully debited on account of failed ATM transactions within a maximum period of 12 working days from the date of receipt of the customer complaint”.

“In the present case, the delay is on part of PNB. It is not only deficiency in service, but also unfair trade practice on its part and as such, the complainant is entitled for the relief. Resultantly, we allow the complainant by directing the bank to pay Rs 27,100 as compensation as per the instructions of the RBI and further to pay Rs 1,100 as cost of proceedings,” the forum said in its order.

Sirsa, June 18
This girl from a small village dreamt big and with hard work, determination and the “Chak De” spirit, she has become a name to reckon with in Indian women’s hockey.
Savita Punia, a girl from Jodhkan village in Sirsa, has carved a niche for herself on her own in the field of hockey at the international level.

At present a member of the Indian women hockey team as its regular goalkeeper,she has brought laurels to Haryana as well as to the country several times.

Savita was part of the Indian women hockey team that reached the finals of the Olympic qualifiers recently, but missed a berth in the London Olympics due to loss against South Africa.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently presented her and other members of the national team a cash award of Rs 5 lakh each.

Earlier, she was honoured by Hooda in 2010, by Haryana Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, by the then Sports Minister Gopal Kanda in 2009 and by the Integrated Child Development Department in 2010.

Savita was part of the national women hockey team as its goalkeeper in a four-nation tournament in the Netherlands in 2008 and in a four-nation tournament in Germany in 2008.

She was also part of the team in the 5th Junior Asia Cup Malaysia in 2008, where the team won the bronze, the Australia Youth Olympic Festival, Sydney, in 2009 where the team returned with the bronze and the 1st Champions Trophy Russia 2009, where India emerged champions.

Savita also represented the country in a four-nation tournament in South Africa in 2009, where the team won the bronze, and the 7th Women Asia Cup in Thailand in 2009, where the team won the silver, said her proud father Mahender Singh Punia, a pharmacist at the Primary Health Centre at Ding in Sirsa.

The Jodhkan girl also represented the country in the Under-21 Women Junior World Cup in the US in 2009, a four-nation tournament in Germany in 2010, the FIH Champions Challenge 2011 in Ireland, the Asian Champion Trophy, Yijinhuoluo (China), 2011, and the Indian Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Delhi, in 2012.

Besides these, Savita was part of the Haryana women hockey team in the 34th National Games held in Jharkhand, 2011, that won the gold, and the 35th U-20 Junior National Hockey Championship-2010 (also gold medal).

She also represented Haryana in the 1st Senior National, Sonepat (Haryana), 2011, to win the silver medal.

Honoured for achievements

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently presented her and other members of the national team a cash award of Rs 5 lakh each

Earlier, she was honoured by Hooda in 2010, by Haryana Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, by the then Sports Minister Gopal Kanda in 2009 and by the Integrated Child Development Department in 2010

Kurukshetra, June 18
The Golden Jubilee Year of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) will be celebrated on its premises here from September 15, 2012, to September 14, 2013.
Stating this to mediapersons here recently, NIT director Prof Anand Mohan said a number of events, including technical, cultural, extracurricular, community services, a series of lectures by eminent personalities, seminars, conferences, workshops, symposiums, training programs and refresher courses, cultural programs, etc, would be organised during this year.

Prof Mohan said a national-level exhibition of technical models would be held at the institute, while an international conference covering all the departments would also be held. In order to provide early promotions to the deserving faculty and non-teaching staff during the Golden Jubilee Year, an institute-level committee would be constituted to workout the policy and guidelines providing the early promotions and the report of the committee would be placed before the Board of Governors of the institute.

On this occasion, a souvenir would be published highlighting the achievements of the institute. The Souvenir Committee would conduct the Golden Jubilee Celebration Logo Competition among the students, faculty, officers and non-teaching staff of the institute.

The institute would provide calipers to 100 polio-affected persons of the nearby areas with the help of the Brahmos, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Government of India.

Ashok Bansal, City Magistrate, inaugurated the “Sufiana Saanjh” by lighting the traditional lamp. The Sufiana evening began with Sufi Kalam “Rakho Meri Laaj Garib Nawaj”, which was followed by his other kalam “Garaj Baras Pyasi Dharti Par Phir Pani De Moula”, were enjoyed and appreciated by the audience and made the event unforgettable.

The Sufi presentation “Ek Tu Hi Tu” revealed the relationship between God and the devotee.

“Nit Khair Mangaa Sonniya Main Teri Dua Na Koi Hor Mangdi” was the item presented with delicate instrumental mode with traditional rhythm accompanying tabla and Hindustani big flute was well accepted by the audience, while “Aaja Ve Mahi Tenu Akhiyan Udeek Diyan” was another Sufi style bonanza, which made the audience spellbound.

Vikram Sirohiwall told the media that Sufi singing was still popular all over the world. New technology and experiment in this direction had made Sufi singing more acceptable and full of entertainment. It had opened a new market across the borders. Right from Afghanistan, Kabul, Kandhar and Pakistan, Sufi singing was still alive and would remain alive as new generation was taking much interest in learning its style and presentation, he said.

Talking about personal attitude and learning Sufi singing, Vikram Sirohiwall said he took his first lesson of a song “Insaan Ka Insaan Se ho Bhaichara Yahi Paigam Hamara” at the age of 4 from his father Devraj Sirohiwall who accompanied him with harmonium.

“I learnt Sufi Kalam singing from my teacher Ustad Kimti Lal of Patiala Gharana and I am grateful to the MACC for introducing me in Kaithal and Kuruksehtra as a Sufi singer. The love and affection of public has encouraged me a lot,” he said.

The mehfil of Sufi singing comprising Iftikar Khan on keyboard, Shalu on tabla, Bunty on pad, Ravi on flute and Virender and Sandeep on chorus made the presentation fabulous.

Commenting on the programme, City Magistrate Ashok Bansal said Sufiana singing was a wonderful way to express love towards God. He honoured Sufi singer Vikram Sirohiwall by presenting him a memento and a bouquet as well as rosebuds to the accompanists. Expressing his comments regarding the presentation, MACC Deputy Director Vishav Deepak Trikha said: “The day will come when Vikram will become a popular singer and establish his tradition.”

Kurukshetra, June 18
On World Day Against Child Labour, Lt-Gen DDS Sandhu (retd), Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, released a book on the burning issue of “Crime Against Children”, authored by Prof Sarita Vashistha, Chairperson of the Department of Hindi, Kurukshetra University.

This book reveals how the innocence of children is ruined in day-to-day life. Poverty has forced children to be used as domestic helps in houses and workplaces where they are subjected to molestation, sexual abuse, harassment and torture.

The book reveals the pitiable condition of the children. During the shivering cold days and nights and in scorching heat these children are busy wiping floors, collecting garbage and picking rags.

While releasing the book in his office, the Vice-Chancellor congratulated Prof Vashistha on writing the book. Prof Girish Chopra, Dean, Academic Affairs, was also present.

Fatehabad, June 18
As many as 108 students received awards for excellence in various curricular and extra-curricular fields at a prize distribution function held at Manohar Memorial College of Education here recently.

Noted philanthropist and chairman of Manohar Memorial Educational Trust was the chief guest. He gave away prizes to the students.

The function began with the lighting of the traditional lamp. Principal Kavita Batra read the report of the college for the past two years.

Tanya, a student who excelled in several fields during the year, was bestowed with the “College Colours”.

Tanya and Anil Kumar were given the Best Book Reader Award, while Akanksha and Arun Dutt got the Best Book Review Award. Mohinder Kumar got the Best Student Award (Boys), while Meenakshi and Bindu got the Best Student (Girl) Award.

Batra said the students getting first three positions in the university would be given cash awards from the management.

The camp was organised by Gyanwati OP Jain Memorial Trust, Chandigarh, in collaboration with Jat Dharamshala Kurukshetra and Haryana Government Ayurvedic College Teachers Association.

Speaking on this occasion, Brar called upon the youth to change their lifestyle so that they could save themselves from various ailments.

Laying stress on doing physical exercise, Brar said the people earlier used to consume “desi ghee” and did physical exercise and looked healthy. We should adopt their lifestyle by working hard, including walking daily, he added.

Brar also congratulated the organisers for getting the services of highly qualified doctors drawn from Medi-City Hospital, Gurgaon.

Fatehabad, June 18
“Over the years, short courses in different fields of journalism like defence journalism, agriculture journalism and sports journalism have been introduced, but educational journalism is one field that has remained neglected so far,” said Prof KK Sharma, a former pro-Vice-Chancellor of the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and president of the Haryana State Chapter of Council of Teacher Education, while addressing a workshop on educational journalism at Manohar Memorial College of
Education at Fatehabad recently.

“Over 70 delegates from different colleges and universities of the area participated, besides students of the host college, those from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) pursuing their classes here and a number of working journalists,” said
Kavita Batra, Principal of the college.

Prof Sharma, who is a patron and programme director of the workshop, said it was satisfying that some universities had introduced diploma and degree-level courses in educational journalism now.

DN Khosla, a former editor of publications in the National Council Education Research and Training (NCERT), said it was heartening to note that several newspapers had now started focusing on educational journalism and some had come out with pullouts on this issue, too. He delved on several definitions of educational journalism as espoused by leading newspapers.

Dr Umesh Arya, an assistant professor in the Academic Staff College of the Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology, gave a presentation on the right technique to write academic papers so that these are accepted by international journals for publication.

Dr Vandana Punia, an assistant professor in the Education Department of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, said in her presentation that educational journalism was touching newer heights by the day and exploring new horizons because of its urgent and fundamental need to bring social change.

“Though in its infancy, there is much scope for core journalism skills in education for teachers, scholars, trainers and students for better critical thinking and wide exposure.

Minaxi Mehta, an assistant professor in the host college, organised the workshop.

Earlier, welcoming the delegates, principal Kavita Batra said with new areas of specialisation in knowledge, new techniques, modes and media were becoming instruments of popularising new fields and making people aware about the importance of new opportunities.

Kaithal, June 18
The district administration has shifted seven children from a local child care centre, Durga Bal Anathalaya, to Braham Shakti child care centre near Tatiana in the Guhla subdivision of the district.

The decision follows a report submitted by an inspection team constituted by the district administration comprising the Programme Officer, Integrated Child Development Scheme, the District Child Welfare Officer and other officials. The inspection team had found that the caretaker of the centre was not complying with the government rules to get the centre registered.

Deputy Commissioner Chander Shekhar said registration of the child care centres was mandatory. He said members of the inspection team would visit all care centres regularly to ensure that these centres do not violate any statutory conditions as laid down in the Haryana Juvenille Justice Rules, 2009.

Gurgaon, June 18
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued promotion and transfer orders of four Additional District and Sessions Judges and transfer orders of three District and Sessions Judges.

As per the orders, Ashok Kumar Verma, Additional District and Sessions Judge and Presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Gurgaon, has been promoted as District and Sessions Judge and appointed as Presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Gurgaon.

Sant Parkash, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Hisar, has been promoted as District and Sessions Judge and posted as District Judge, Family Court, Sonepat, against a newly established Family Court.

Narinder Kumar, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Jagadhari, has been promoted and transferred as District and Sessions Judge, Narnaul. Jhamman Ram Chauhan, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Jhajjar, has been promoted and posted as District and Sessions Judge, Bhiwani.

Anil Kumar Singh Panwar, District and Sessions Judge, Narnaul, has been transferred as such to Jagadhri. Neena Chaudhary, District and Sessions Judge who was Presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Panipat, goes as District Judge of the newly established Family Court.

Sonepat, June 18
While participating as a special invitee at a meeting of the District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee held here recently, Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda directed the officers of the Public Health Department to ensure that all sewer lines in the town were cleaned before the onset of monsoon. The meeting was organised by the DRDA, Sonepat, and was presided over by Sonepat MP Jitender Singh Malik.

He also directed that the work for the laying of sewer pipelines from Rohtak road to Kakroi road in the town should be completed within 20 days.

“It is the duty of the administration to find out solutions to ensure that there was no water logging in different areas of the town during the rainy season,” he said. He cautioned that there should not be any complaint of polluted drinking water supplied through the system of the Public Health Department.

He also asked the Deputy Commissioner to monitor the progress of construction activities on different development projects mostly announced by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Announcing that some of the new projects in the district had been sanctioned, Hooda asked the officers to complete all kind of formalities concerning these projects well in time so that there was no delay in launching of these projects.

These projects included laying of foundation stone of a four-lane ROB at a level crossing of the Delhi-Ambala railway line on the Rai-Nahra-Bahadurgarh state highway, four-laning of the Gohana-Sonepat Road between Badwasni village and Sonepat Hindu College in the town, construction of Sonepat bypass, a government college at Kharkhoda and laying of foundation stones of all newly sanctioned 132KV and 33KV power substations within the next two months.

Rewari, June 18
Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Tewatia has sentenced Sachin, a resident of Gurgaon, to imprisonment for life, holding him guilty of killing his wife Sheetal in July, 2009. The verdict was pronounced by the court here recently.

According to the prosecution, Sachin, who had strained relations with his wife Sheetal, hatched a plan on July 16, 2009, following which he telephonically asked Sheetal to come to Rewari as her friend Geeta wanted to meet her here.

When Sheetal reached Rewari, she was taken in a car to the nearby Kakodia village where she was strangled to death by Sachin, who then wrapped the body in a cover
and threw it into a deserted well.

Subsequently, the call details of Sachin’s cellphone led to the arrest of Sachin who spilled the beans during interrogation. While the body was fished out of the well, the
case was put up in the court for trial.

Sirsa, June 18
Villagers doing manual labour under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Sirsa will get their wages through smart cards soon.
In fact, the authorities have already started disbursing wages through smart cards in 14 villages of the district as a pilot project.

“As many as 90,000 persons have been issued smart cards and as a pilot project, payment of wages to workers working under MGNREGA Scheme in the district is being made through smart cards in 14 villages,” said Sirsa Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan.

Kurukshetra, June 18
The Rajput community of Haryana, at its emergency meeting held under the chairmanship of Col Devender Singh, president, Haryana Pratinidhi
Sabha, on the premises of Jat Dharamshala here on Friday, criticised Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for leading a
deputation of Jat leaders of some states to meet the Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, recently, demanding reservation for the Jat
communty.

Stating this Mahender Singh Tanwar, national working president, Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Sabha, said the development had hurt the
feelings of all other communities throughout Haryana as the Chief Minister represented all communities and sections of the state and not a
particular caste.

Tanwar said the meeting unanimously resolved that reservation should be given on the basis of economic status of the
people instead of caste so that poor and needy persons were benefited.

“Our Constitution, Articles 14, 15, 16 (15 Ch) and 16 of the fundamental rights, as well as a number of historic judgements of the Supreme Court of India are against reservations on the basis of caste. The framers of our Constitution were also against reservations on the basis of caste, creed or religion, etc,” he added.

Tanwar said the meeting further resolved that the Haryana Government should appoint a commission to help the poor people particularly belonging to upper castes.

If the Jat community of Haryana was backward and needed reservation, then all the people of our country should be given reservation, he asserted.

Karnal, June 18
In another major initiative to spread awareness about AIDS, National Integrated Forum of Artists and Activists (NIFAA), a leading NGO, has decided to organise “All-India Painting Competition on AIDS Awareness”. It has invited teachers, students and professionals from fine arts schools, academies and others pursuing painting
as hobby to participate in the competition.

The best paintings selected by the jury by contemporary artists would be exhibited at the Global village at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre in Washington DC (US). These paintings would become part of the International AIDS Conference, the biggest platform for those working in the field of HIV, policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to end the pandemic, NIFAA chairman Pritpal Singh Pannu said.

NIFAA has been allotted a free booth to exhibit paintings on AIDS
awareness and has also been invited to speak on the role of Indian youth in AIDS awareness in the
conference under the aegis of International AIDS Society.

Any person above the age of 18 is eligible to participate in the competition and the registration will be open till June 20 and all registered contestants
can send their art work before July 1.

NIFAA has also announced awards for the winning paintings. The winner will get a cash prize of Rs 40,000, while the second and third prizes would carry a cash award of Rs 21,000 and Rs 11,000, respectively.

Three consolation prizes of Rs 5,100 each and 25 appreciation prizes of
Rs 2,100 each will also be given to the selected art works.

NIFAA has also planned to organise an exhibition in Chandigarh on July 4 where all the selected paintings will be displayed and awards will be announced by a panel of judges consisting of senior professionals of fine arts.

The selected paintings displayed at the exhibition would be taken to the US for display in exhibition at the conference.

Sonepat, June 18
The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutes of the Government of India has accorded the status of minority institutions to Mahavir Swamy Institute of Technology, Bhagwan Mahavir College of Education and Bhagwan Mahavir Institute of Polytechnic being run by the Bhagwan Mahavir Education Foundation at Jagdishpur, near Sonepat.

The chairman of the foundation, Dr Sanjay Jain, said students of the Jain minority community would get a number of educational facilities. The campus director, Dr Puran Mal Gaur, said these institutes were founded in 2008 and during this short period, the number of students had gone up to more than 3,000.
— OC

Karnal, June 18
People searching the website of MDD Bal Bhavan, mddindia.org, sheltering 80 kids in Karnal were in for a shock on finding it hacked and flooded by anti-India material. The website was allegedly hacked by some Z company, which posted thereon anti-India material like killing of Bangladeshi, free Kashmir and freedom is our goal.

Chandigarh, June 18
Haryana Power Minister Ajay Singh Yadav said the state government had signed a power purchase contract to purchase 350 MW of more power and the power problem would be resolved after July 15.

He said the Jhajjar power plant would soon be started to resolve the power crisis. In order to handle the power problem caused due to faults in the three thermal plants of the state, the state government had purchased 500 MW additional power till June 15.
— TNS